Twilight and New Moon Drabbles
by Audrie Melone
Summary: Twilight and New Moon are told from Bella's perspective.But what do the other CullensHales think of certain events in the books? Chap.1 is from Twilight and Chap. 2 is from New Moon.
1. Bella's Saviors

**Alice**

Even without Jasper's ability, I could sense that Bella was anxious with every time she shifted in her chair and each quick heart beat. It wasn't strange that she was anxious, with James tracking her and consequently those who protected her, but should she be this anxious?

"Would you like to get breakfast now?" I asked for the fourth time.

"No, not yet, later," she replied breathlessly.

I returned to contemplating what I had seen. The tracker had gone to Bella's mother's house. That made perfect sense. He would try to use Bella's mother against Bella and the rest of us. And then there was the vision which I had had. I had not told Bella all that I saw. I had seen Bella at the dance studio with the tracker. She had lain upon the floor in small pools of her own blood. So that is where he planned to bring her and what he planned to do to her. But how would he get her there? He was not here in the airport. I was sure of that. I would have sensed him. Not for the first time was I frustrated by the limitations of my ability.

"I think I'll eat now," announced Bella, drawing me from my contemplation.

I followed her eyes to the arrival board and with a start saw that Edward's plane was ten minutes early. He'd be landing in twenty minutes.

"I'll come with you," I said, standing.

"Do you mind if Jasper comes instead?" Bella's eyes were wide and her face paler than usual. She could certainly use Jasper's calming but she had seemed more comfortable around me. And why did she want to eat now when Edward's plane was ten minutes early?

I wondered if Jasper could handle being so close to her. He had done well in the hotel room, but it had been difficult for him. Even I had to admit that Bella's blood was uncommonly tempting, at least more tempting than the average human's.

Jasper placed his hand upon the small of Bella's back and guided her away. I watched until they turned out of my sight.

Was I imagining things or had Bella's heart beat increased when she left with Jasper? There were so many heart beats all around me I couldn't be sure.

I sank back down upon the seat to wait for them, glancing at my watch. I heard a whistle and looked up. A young man who sat across the way from me nodded as he smirked. He was incredibly attractive, for a human, and obviously knew it. Under normal circumstances I would have ignored him, but I really did not have time for him if he chose to come over and flirt with me, so I pulled a Rosalie. I started at his face and let my eyes sweep over him, before I returned them to his face and looked away in disgust. Rosalie often completed the gesture by turning her eyes back to glare at her admirer until he grew incredibly uncomfortable and attempted to turn his attention elsewhere.

I decided to spare the young man's ego but he took the hint. I sat for a few minutes before I returned my eyes to my watch. Fifteen minutes until Edward's plane landed. I hoped Bella and Jasper found something soon.

**Jasper**

I wondered why Bella had chosen me to come with her. I sensed a strange collectedness in her, which was odd as her heart beat raced. She did not ask for me to calm her, though.

We passed several cafés and she looked at each with a lack of interest. I was about to tell her we couldn't go much further if she wanted to be present to greet Edward when she said, "Do you mind? I'll be just a minute."

I saw that we were in front of a ladies room. I peered at her more closely. Was she going to be sick?

"I'll be right here," I said and watched her enter the ladies room.

It was rather awkward waiting outside a ladies room, though the people who hurried past paid me little attention.

How long did it take humans to go to the bathroom? I pulled out my cell phone as I had forgotten to put on my watch. It had been three minutes. I'd give her another three. Five minutes should be good.

Five more minutes passed and there was no sign of Bella. Perhaps there was a line. Then I caught sight of a young woman who had entered the bathroom shortly after Bella, exiting. I cleared my throat as the young woman passed me. "Excuse me," I said.

She turned to me and immediately her cheeks grew crimson. I really did not like it when humans did that. It made my mouth water. "Is there a line?" But if I were human at the moment, my cheeks would be doing the same.

The young woman's face fell in disappointment. "A line, no, there wasn't one at all. Which is unusual because with two doors—,"

"Two doors?" I asked.

"Yes," chattered the woman, eager to hold my attention. "There's one on the other side."

"May I ask a favor," I asked as I move slightly closer to the young woman, allowing my eyes to dazzle her.

"Maybe," she said, though her breathless response told me she meant yes.

"If my friend comes out, could you ask her to wait? She's about five four with chestnut hair and brown eyes. She's rather pale and she's wearing jean shorts and a white shirt."

"No problem."

"Thanks."

I had to remind myself to go at human speed as I ran around to the other side of the bathroom. There was another door. I inhaled deeply. There was that freesia scent that she had. I followed it until I came to the elevators. Elevators? Where was Bella going? There was one thing I was sure of though. Bella was gone. I flipped open my phone to speed dial Alice.

**Edward**

I never should have taken Bella into that clearing, not when I knew the arrival of Laurent's coven was so close. I was a fool.

I hadn't liked Bella's plan, but it had made sense at the time. According to Alice though, James had tracked Bella to Arizona. I had to get her out of there as soon as possible. The airplane seemed to move too slowly. I growled in frustration and impatience.

Carlisle laid a hand over mine. "Calm down, Edward. We'll be landing in a few minutes. We've already begun the descent."

He and Emmett sat on either side of me. We all wore jeans, long sleeved shirts, and baseball hats. As a vampire, Phoenix was the last place I should be, but as it was where Bella was, it was the only place I should be.

The last few minutes of the flight seemed to be an eternity. But it was not long before I felt the plane descend rapidly until I felt the wheels slam onto the runway as we were all pressed back into our seats. For a moment the plane sped forward as if it were about to take off again, then it began to slow until it taxied into our terminal, to our gate. When it came to a complete stop, I jerked off my seatbelt, though the seat belt sign was still on.

I started to rise, eager to see Bella.

"Excuse me, sir, please wait until the seatbelt sign is turned off."

I whipped around to glare at the flight attendant, but Emmett jerked me down before she could experience the full force of my gaze. He grinned up at the woman.

"Eager to meet his girlfriend," Emmett explained charmingly.

The flight attendant smiled in understanding as she moved away. Carlisle placed a hand on my shoulder.

"You will see her soon enough," he said gently.

I tilted my head back and pressed my fingers over the bridge of my nose, frustrated with human speed.

**Alice**

I heard my cell phone ring. It was Jasper. I whipped it to my ear.

"Hello?"

"Alice, she's gone."

"What do you mean gone?" I cried.

"There were two doors to the bathroom."

"What bathroom?"

"Bella stopped to go to the bathroom and she went out through a door on the other side."

I glanced at my watch and then at the arrival board. Edward's plane had landed. Panic filled me as I grabbed the letter that she had given me to leave for her mother from my bag. I had a feeling that the letter wasn't meant for her mother.

**_Edward,_**

_**I love you. I am so sorry. He has my mom, and I have to try. I know it may not work. I am so very, very sorry.**_

**_Don't be angry with Alice and Jasper. If I get away from them it will be a miracle…_**

I did not bother to read the rest as everything fell into place. The phone call must have been James. But how had he fooled me into believing he was Bella's mother? That was why Bella had asked Jasper to take her to get something to eat. And why Bella had been so nervous. That was why I had seen Bella with James in the dance studio. It hadn't been James decision as I had thought—it had been Bella's.

My stomach clenched as I thought of facing Edward.

"Alice?" Jasper was still on the phone.

"You're sure she's gone?" My voice was weak.

"Yes," Jasper said ruefully.

"Get us a car. I'll meet Edward, Emmett, and Carlisle and we'll meet you."

Jasper hesitated. "I don't know how Edward will take this…"

I sighed. Edward would be livid. "Carlisle and Emmett will be with him. And he won't do anything in public," I assured Jasper.

"Fine. I love you."

"Love you, too," I said softly before I ended the call. I could feel myself shaking. Of everyone, I understood the most how much Bella meant to Edward and I had let her slip from me. Why hadn't I suspected anything?

It was only a few moments before I caught sight of Edward, Emmett, and Carlisle hurrying at human speed from the gate. Immediately I pushed all thoughts of Bella from my mind.

But that didn't mean Edward couldn't read my face.

**Edward**

When at last the seatbelt sign went off, I stood. I held myself in control. I would see

Bella soon. Having sat in first class and traveling without luggage, it meant that we were first off the plane. As we passed a flight attendant he smiled, welcoming us to Phoenix.

I followed Carlisle up the passageway until we entered the terminal. Immediately I searched through the mass of voices that filled my head for Jasper and Alice's thoughts. I couldn't hear Jasper's but I heard Alice.

_They're here_. I turned toward her. Where were Jasper and Bella? And why was Alice trembling? I looked closer and saw that she struggled to keep her face as blank as her thoughts. Something was wrong.

Carlisle seemed to sense it to, for he began to speed up. When we reached Alice, he embraced her with one arm as he had a bag under the other. "Where's Bella and Jasper?" he asked.

"Jasper went to get a car," she replied as her trembling increased.

"Where's Bella?" I demanded.

"She went to meet James," gasped Alice, her voice barely audible, even to our sensitive ears.

**Alice**

I watched Edward's eyes darken as his face crumpled. I could bear his anger, but not the anguish that I saw in face. I could bear his growling, his ranting, but not his silence. And it was my fault. He had trusted me to keep Bella safe and I had failed. For the first time in my existence, I wished I were human so I could cry.

**Emmett**

I grasped Edward's shoulder—he looked ready to lunge at Alice. She'd never looked so small before.

Bella had gotten away from Alice and Jasper. How? And she was headed straight for that tracker. The moment I got my hands on that bast—vampire—I would end his existence.

At that moment, Alice's cell phone rang. She jerked it to her ear.

"Jasper?" she said. She listened for a few moments before she shut the phone. "He's got a car. He's downstairs," she said.

"How is a car going to help?" growled Edward. I was glad I had kept my hand on him.

"I know where Bella is going," Alice said.

"Let's go then," instructed Carlisle.

As we ran down the terminal, we all found it a challenge to keep to human place. I do not know how well we succeeded for we received several strange glances.

**Carlisle**

Alice pointed out the car Jasper had stolen as we halted in the doorway. Morally, I did not approve of Alice and Jasper's ability to break into cars, but in a time such as this even I had to admit that it was useful. We'd have to make a dash for it and hope our skin didn't catch too much sunlight.

"Let's go," growled Edward as he bolted through the doors. Alice, Emmet, and I were close behind.

Edward yanked the car door open and slid in. Alice and Emmett followed as I took the passenger seat. The doors slammed shut behind us.

"Where to?" demanded Jasper.

I saw that he had stolen a car with a GPS system.

"Fifty-Eighth Street and Cactus," supplied Alice.

Jasper quickly entered the address before he glanced out the mirrors and pressed his foot upon the accelerator. We sped forward, quickly leaving the airport behind.

I felt the calm that Jasper spread through the car and glanced back at Edward. He sat stiffly in his seat, his eyes distant and I wished that I had his ability to read minds for too many emotions played across his face to even begin to guess what he was thinking. I ached for my son and prayed that we would reach Bella in time.

**Edward**

I took a piece of paper from Alice and opened it. It was from Bella. I read it quickly before I stuffed it into my pocket. How could Alice and Jasper let her get away? What was Bella thinking? What if we did not make it?

What would my existence be like without Bella?

It did not take me long to answer that question. Before her, my existence had been meaningless, drifting from place to place with no purpose. It wasn't that I was not content, I just remained disinterested. And then Bella came along and showed me all that I had missed. With her I didn't just feel content; I had a purpose (to save her life from her daily perils) and inexplicable joy. I realized that though I had felt complete before, I had been fooling myself. I finally knew what it was to be complete and I couldn't exist with being incomplete ever again. I couldn't exist without Bella.

If she did not live, how would I end my existence? I knew that I could not destroy myself. Jasper and Emmett would never help. Carlisle and Esme were out of the question. Alice wouldn't do it either. Maybe Rosalie? No, for all her shallowness, she wouldn't do it either.

Then who? I could find a coven to do it. Suddenly I remembered what Carlisle had told me of the Volturi—no vampire disturbs their city without deadly consequences. If I provoked them, they would certainly destroy me.

"Stop it!" Jasper said suddenly, his voice slamming through my thoughts.

Everyone looked at him in confusion, but his eyes met mine in the rearview mirror. "Stop it," he said more softly. "We're almost there."

I dropped my eyes. I was damned, but that didn't mean I couldn't pray for Bella. That she would be alive when we reached her.

**Jasper**

I hated the annoying female voice that came from the GPS system as I swerved through traffic. I felt assaulted by emotions: guilt, fear, determination, anguish, hope. And there was suddenly another. I felt colder than usual as it grew. Suicidal. That could only be one of us.

"Stop it!" I cried. I could not let Edward dwell on suicide any longer. There was still hope that Bella would be alive.

"Stop it, we're almost there."

**Carlisle**

At Jasper's words I knew that this had become a race not only for Bella's life, but for my son's as well. I had never before realized just how deeply his attachment to Bella ran. I thought of how I felt for Esme and I understood Edward's anguish. Yet as a vampire, I knew that my Esme was fairly safe. As a human, Bella was not as safe.

I realized now, that though Edward resisted it, his options were narrowing. If Bella loved Edward as deeply as he loved her, then I saw that the best option would be for him to change her. I was finding fewer ways around that decision.

**Edward**

I jerked forward as Jasper slammed on the brakes. As I flung the door open, I heard a growl. James.

I sprang from the car, no longer caring about keeping my speed human. I flew through the doors of the dance studio, through the lobby, and through another door.

There was Bella, lying among shattered glass. Blood pooled beneath her head, and there was blood smeared all over the floor. James crouched over her.

**Emmett**

I never heard Edward growl like that. It was more like a roar, almost feral with the fury and anguish that it held. I watched as he launched himself at the tracker. James turned over Bella and made a strange motion with his head before Edward reached him and flung him off. I ran forward and grabbed James before he could attack Edward's back.

I wrestled him to the floor, but he threw me off and I slammed into the wall. Jasper rammed into James, throwing the tracker back and I rebounded from the wall, grabbing for James as Jasper's fist slammed into the vampire's jaw.

James kicked Jasper way and slammed his elbow into my side. But I held on as Jasper rushed James and we all fell to the floor. Jasper rolled away from James and me. I held onto the tracker, dragging him up with me and throwing him into the wall. He faced Jasper and me, hatred burning in his eyes, looking for a way to get around us.

I growled as Jasper suddenly crouched and sprang at James's legs. The tracker tried to leap Jasper but I grabbed him as Jasper swerved from hitting the wall and came up behind the tracker. Jasper's fist slammed into James's back as I stamped on the tracker's feet and forced him backward. With a snapping noise, James's back broke and he crumpled to the floor with a piercing wail. I fell upon him, sending my knee into his chest as I jerked his neck as hard as I could. With a strange satisfaction, I heard it break.

**Jasper**

I looked at the silenced James. Emmett and I had broken a number of his bones. Vampires do heal, but with his wounds, it would take James a while.

During the fight I had been unaware of the smell of blood that filled the room. But now it filled my nostrils. It was some of the sweetest blood I had ever smelled. I stopped breathing as I felt my predator instincts rise.

Emmett looked strained too as he turned to me. "We have to find some gasoline," he mumbled and we hurried from the room, as the smell of Bella's blood became overwhelming.

**Carlisle**

I watched as Edward bolted into the studio, followed by Jasper and Emmett. Alice started to follow but I grabbed her arm.

"As fast as you can, think of a way to explain Bella's injuries. I believe they are pretty bad as I can smell the blood out here. Then bring me my bag. I need to see if Jasper and Emmett need help."

I left her standing by the car as I hurried into the building.

**Alice**

I sighed. I wanted to get my hands on James as well, but Carlisle was right to choose me to come up with an explanation for Bella's injuries. Of my entire family, I was the best at fabricating stories. This was a hard one. I could smell her blood too, though faintly, and it was distracting as well as an indicator of how bad her injuries must be.

How to explain her injuries? I thought of the hotel to which we had planned to move her. I had gone to check in while Bella slept, before we went to the airport…

I couldn't help but grin as a story fell into place. I grabbed Carlisle's bag and flew in after him, nearly colliding with Jasper and Emmett on their way out.

As I came to the door, I froze. Bella's blood was overwhelming. I felt my control wavering as my mouth watered. I caught sight of Edward and Carlisle crouched over Bella's prone figure.

Carlisle looked up at me. "My bag please…. Hold your breath, Alice, it will help."

I did as he told me as I hurried to his side.

Up close, Bella's injuries looked much worse. The shoulder, sleeves, and collar of her white shirt were stained with blood. One of her legs lay at an odd angle.

"Alice?" she groaned.

I couldn't answer her yet, her blood was so overwhelming I dared not even open my mouth yet.

"She's here, she knew where to find you," Edward answered for me, as I handed Carlisle his bag.

**Edward**

I knelt over Bella. She was barely breathing.

"Oh no, Bella, no!" I cried.

She did not respond to her name and I grew frantic. "Bella, please! Bella, listen to me, please, please, Bella, please!"

Bella still did not respond. I turned, wondering where Carlisle was. He appeared in the doorway.

"Carlisle!" I called before I turned back to her. She had lost so much blood. I could tell she was slipping away, but I could not tell if it was into unconsciousness, a comatose state or… "Bella, Bella, no, oh please, no, no!" I had no tears to soften my sobs as they tore my chest with anguish. I could not lose her. Not my beautiful Bella.

Carlisle was beside us and he knelt carefully, pressing her head with a gentle finger.

Suddenly Bella, cried out, gasping. Though it did not mean that she would live, it was a response. She was not gone yet. "Bella!"

"She's lost some blood, but the head wound isn't deep," Carlisle said, calmly, as he looked over her injuries. "Watch out for her leg, it's broken."

How could James do this to her? How could I let this happen to her? I felt a howl of fury rise in my throat and tried to stifle it. I did not want to upset Bella.

Carlisle's deft fingers had moved down to Bella's middle as he felt over her ribcage. Bella winced. "Some ribs, too, I think," he said.

I felt myself shaking with anger. My Bella lay broken on the floor like an ill treated doll.

"Edward." I felt as I had the first night that I had heard her say my name in her sleep. It was an elation that stirred deep within me. Her eyes had still not opened.

"Bella, you're going to be fine. Can you hear me, Bella? I love you." Love was too trite. It did not convey how much I needed her, how much I cared for her, it fell far short of describing what she meant to me.

"Edward," she said again.

"Yes, I'm here," I reassured her.

"It hurts," she whimpered.

I felt as if those two words struck me, harder than any blow I had ever received from Emmett or Jasper. It was entirely my fault that she was laying here, bloody and broken. I had said I would protect her and I hadn't. Why had I not insisted that she stay with me?

"I know Bella, I know." I turned to Carlisle. "Can't you do anything?"

He looked at me. _I am doing what I can Edward. She is aware and that is good._

_It's so overwhelming!_ That was Alice. I turned to see her in the doorway and Carlisle followed my gaze.

"My bag please…." Carlisle saw the contorted look upon her face as she attempted to hold away her thirst. "Hold your breath, Alice, it will help," he advised.

"Alice?" Bella groaned.

"She's here, she knew where to find you," I said.

"My hand hurts," Bella said weakly as Alice ran to us with Carlisle's bag.

"I know Bella. Carlisle will give you something, it will stop." I watched as Carlisle drew a syringe filled with morphine from his bag.

"My hand is burning!" Bella screamed as her eyes fluttered open. Carlisle shoved up her sleeve and injected the morphine while she was distracted. He moved so quickly, she never even noticed. Or was the pain in her hand that great?

"Bella?" What wound burned someone?

"The fire! Someone stop the fire!" she screamed. I took her hand.

"Carlisle! Her hand!" The marks looked strangely like…

"He bit her." My eyes flew up to Carlisle at his appalled voice. _I don't understand, why?_

My breath caught in horror as I looked back down at her hand. James had bitten her and like Carlisle, I could not fathom why.

"Edward, you have to do it," said Alice as she knelt on the other side of Bella, gently wiping the blood from Bella's eyes. _You have to change her. It's the only way to save her!_

"No!" I bellowed. I would not take away Bella's humanity, her soul. I had told Alice and Carlisle this before. Already I had allowed Bella to be hurt like this; I would not do any more to dehumanize her. And I would not add to the pain already inflicted upon her.

"Alice," Bella moaned.

I looked desperately to Carlisle. There had to be another way to save her. Changing her could not be the only option.

"There may be a chance," he said.

"What?" Anything not to change her.

"See if you can suck the venom back out. The wound is fairly clean." He returned to pulling the glass from her scalp.

"Will that work?" asked Alice, her voice strained. _I must not let the smell of blood overcome me. Bella needs me. Is Carlisle right? Will it work? If not, Edward is going to have to live with Bella being a vampire._

"I don't know," replied Carlisle, frowning. "But we have to hurry."

Already I was enticed by Bella's blood without it being in the open. How was I supposed to draw it from her? What if I drained her? I had been afraid of James killing her, but what if it were me that killed her?

"Carlisle, I…I don't know if I can do that." Could I stop myself? Did I love her enough? Would it be so bad if she were a vampire? Yes, it would be.

"It's your decision, Edward, either way. I can't help you. I have to get this bleeding stopped here if you're going to be taking blood from her hand."

I looked down at Bella as she writhed, her face twisted with pain. I had to decide…quickly.

"Edward!" she screamed. Her eyes flew open and searched until they fell upon me. She begged me with her eyes to do something and behind that begging was a deep trust. I couldn't stand to see her like this. But did I risk taking her life myself? Images of Bella raced before me—Bella thinking, Bella laughing, Bella glaring at me in frustration, Bella needing saving. Bella, my Bella.

"Alice, get me something to brace her leg!" Carlisle instructed. "Edward, you must do it now, or it will be too late."

_My_ Bella. James had hurt her but I would not let him take her humanity. _My _Bella would be human as long as I had a say. I felt my jaw tighten as I took her hand and drew it up to my lips. I parted them as they touched her burning skin.

The moment her blood touched my lips, I felt euphoria rush through me. She was like no human or animal I had ever tasted. Her blood was sweeter than I had ever imagined as it rolled down my throat. I wanted more as I felt the monster stir and rise within me, its desire for Bella's blood finally granted. It was impossible to stop as I felt her life rushing into me, swelling through me.

Bella's life. Isn't that what I wanted to save? I wanted her with me always, or as long as she would live. I steeled myself against the monster within me. It would not take the living Bella from me. The brief ecstasy that her blood brought me held no place beside the joy I felt every night that I held her in my arms, the warmth of her skin against mine, or the pleasure I had, watching her blush or glare at me in frustration.

The monster roared in protest as I began to slow the amount of blood I drew from her.

Yes, I fought back. I love her. I will stop.

The monster roared louder in protest, dizzying me with wonderful taste of her blood.

Yes I screamed at the monster. Yes I will stop. And suddenly I could stop as the monster withdrew, slowly. But I knew it would not rise against Bella again.

I pulled my lips from her skin as I tasted the bitterness of the morphine in her blood. I drew my lips away and watched as Bella lay still, breathing evenly. Yes, my living Bella was a far greater joy than the taste of her blood.

"Edward," she said so softly that I do not think I would have heard it, had it not been for my sensitive hearing.

I could not speak as I wiped her blood from my lips.

"He's right here, Bella," soothed Alice.

"Stay, Edward, stay with me…." Her voice grew weaker.

"I will," I said. I felt triumphant; I had smothered the monster within me.

"Is it all out?" Carlisle asked me.

"Her blood tastes clean. I can taste the morphine."

"Bella?" he asked. Her answer was incomprehensible. "Is the fire gone?"

"Yes," she sighed. "Thank you, Edward."

"I love you," I said.

"I know." I could tell she was fading from consciousness.

I could not help the weak, yet relieved laugh that escaped me.

"Bella?" Carlisle asked again.

"What?"

"Where is your mother?"

"In Florida." Her voice was little more than a sigh. "He tricked me, Edward. He watched our videos." Had she been stronger she would have sounded outraged, but now she only sounded exhausted.

"Alice." I frowned as Bella suddenly struggled to hold on to consciousness, her voice urgent. "Alice, the video—he knew you, Alice, he knew where you came from." Her voice grew weaker. "I smell gasoline."

_Jasper and Emmett are back. Burning James is the only way to completely destroy him_, Alice thought as she looked at me.

"It's time to move her," Carlisle said.

"No, I want to sleep," Bella protested weakly.

"You can sleep, sweetheart, I'll carry you." She was going to be all right. I carefully lifted her from the floor, wary not to jar her broken ribs. "Sleep now, Bella." I felt her go limp in my arms, unconscious. "I love you," I murmured, placing a kiss upon her bloody hair.

**Alice**

Carlisle had me wait in the room until Jasper delivered a canister of gasoline and a box of matches to me.

I took the tape that Bella had told me of, as well as the home video James had used to lure her to this place.

When Jasper came to the door, I handed him the tapes and took the matches and gasoline. I poured the gasoline around the room, saving enough to completely soak James's clothes. I walked to a corner and struck a match. I crouched and let the gasoline catch the flame.

A fire sprang to life before me. I ran to another corner and lit another match, dropping it to the floor. I ran to a third corner and did the same, saving James's body for last. I struck a match and with a feeling of satisfaction, I dropped it onto him, remaining in the room only long enough to watch his still body go up in flames.

I went out to the lobby and lit a few more matches before I swept out the door, letting the place burst into flames behind me.

The others waited for me in the car. We did not have long before someone noticed the fire.

"What do we do now?" Carlisle asked as I climbed in the car.

"Carlisle, Edward, Bella, and I go to the hotel that Jasper and I booked. Carlisle will push me down two flights of stairs, and hopefully I'll fall through a window. From what I remember of the layout, it should work. Wherever I land, is where Edward will place Bella. We'll have to remove her bandages. Carlisle you will attend to her while Edward and I run to the front desk to phone for an ambulance."

Carlisle smiled. "It should work."

"What about us?" demanded Emmett, indicating himself and Jasper.

I sighed wearily. "You go to Bella's mother's house and call Esme and Rosalie, tell them what you think they ought to know. Wait there until dark and then you can return to Forks. We'll leave the car here. As we all had to wear gloves against the sun, we've left no fingerprints."

We used the GPS system to locate Bella's house. Jasper and Emmett kept to the shadows until they disappeared.

The rest of us, save Bella whom Edward carried, trudged to the hotel. Fortunately it was not far.

**Carlisle**

I stood outside of Bella's hospital room with Alice.

"Excellent work, dear." I was still impressed by her work at the hotel.

She smirked. "Thank you."

"A stolen car, a well fabricated lie, all right up your alley."

"Are you implying that I am a car thief and a cheater?" she demanded impishly.

I smiled at her. "No, but you do enjoy the rush it gives you."

"I will not deny it."

"Not that I condone stealing cars , burning buildings, and creating false stories—."

Alice grinned up at me impishly. "Of course you don't. You wouldn't be a father, otherwise."

I couldn't help but chuckle before I sighed. "We ought to depart soon. People will become suspicious if we do not sleep for thirty six hours."

"Have we been here that long?"

I nodded. "Yes. But Bella is stable now and Renée will be here soon."

Alice sighed and glanced through the window once more. "He's going to have to change her, someday," she said.

I placed a hand on her shoulder. "I believe it will come sooner than Edward is ready, but you are right."

"And he doesn't see it?"

"Rosalie isn't the only one among us with tenacity."

She sighed again and shook her head as she walked away. I followed her. She had called Renée and offered to pick her up at the airport. Somehow she had convinced Renée to fly in in the middle of the night.

I wondered how long it would be before Edward realized the inevitable. Bella would have to be changed.


	2. Emptiness and Destruction

**Esme and Rosalie's POV-sometime after Rosalie tells Edward Bella is dead and before Bella saves Edward  
**

**Esme**

I'd once before felt like this. It was one of the few memories I had left from my human days and one of the last. I had stood at the top of that cliff and looked out as the wind lifted my hair lightly. Below there was only emptiness. An emptiness like the one that twisted through my stomach and reached out to fill the rest of me until it wriggled its fingers in eager delight and clasped my heart.

There was nothing to live for, nothing to strive for. My past was gone; I had fled from it and cast it aside. And now my future was gone too. The little one who had given me the courage to wrench myself from my husband and strike out on my own was gone, swept away with the prairie wind. My little savior had abandoned me to live out this wretched existence. I stared into the emptiness and stepped forward. I glanced back once toward the place where my future had been buried. I swallowed and turned back and leapt into the emptiness that had already consumed my insides.

That emptiness was uncurling inside me once again. But this time there was no greater emptiness to swallow it. Once more I could not see how I could live on without one to whom I had given so much, but this time there was no way to end the pain. There were not even tears and sobs to carry me into exhausted sleep. There was no sleep to escape to.

I understood how hollow Edward felt, the anguish that tore him apart and I could not condemn his attempt to end his existence, not when that same hopelessness was what had called me to the edge of that cliff.

But why my dear Edward? I loved Carlisle as a husband, but Edward was the son that I would have liked my son to have been had he lived. Edward was as much my son as if he had been born of my own womb, but without Charles' taint. Edward would never again play that beautiful song he had written just for me. He would not lift his lips in that crooked smile as he listened to my gentle scolding or chuckle at one of my passing thoughts. How briefly had my Edward been so complete. For decades I had watched him and hoped that one day he would find the happiness that the rest of us had, that he would find himself completed in a way that made him understand how incomplete he had been before. And then he had found Bella. It seemed as if all my wishes for him were to come true until they were suddenly torn away when he insisted we leave Bella. Yet even then I had hoped that he would change his mind, seek his happiness.

But there was nothing now. All my wishes had ignited before me and as I closed my eyes, I could see the flames that consumed them. Anguish pressed upon my chest and I felt my unnecessary breath forced back inside me. When I stopped breathing the weight only became heavier and I curled up, hugging my knees to me.

This time, there was no escape from the emptiness.

**Rosalie**

In my long distant childhood, my older brother had once told me that if you dumped salt on a slug, it would die. Consumed by curiosity and the desire to see what would happen, I waited. One evening I heard my sister scream as she approached the house; there was a slug on the walkway. Without thinking I flew to the kitchen and grabbed a container of salt. I ran back outside and poured the salt over the slug, watching in fascination as it writhed.

"What have you done?" cried my brother. "Why did you kill it like that?"

I looked back at the slug, and its twitching suddenly horrified me. What had I done? Why had I poured the salt over him when I knew that it would kill him? I ran back inside and filled a bowl with water and returned to pour it over the slug. But it was too late.

I now felt the same horror I had then at destroying something. Except now I had destroyed one I loved. Why? Was there a destructive urge within me? A force that sought to destroy in order to create some kind of satisfaction within me? Was I cruel?

Yes I was. I had called Edward to tell him of Bella's death in order to satisfy my desire for everything to be normal again. And a small part of me had wanted to see just how much he loved Bella. But now, like with the slug, I could only watch in horror as death came upon him.

Over one hundred years ago Edward had told me that I was shallow. Even then I had known that Edward loved pretty things, but he had not loved me more than as a sister. I had been angered by the rejection and I had set out to prove that I was not stupid or completely self-centered. I did not pause to ask him what he meant by shallow and I now I would never know. But in the end, though I had striven to prove him wrong, he was right, no matter what he had meant by shallow. My shallowness didn't necessarily come from stupidity or selfishness or vanity. It came from my inablitity to understand was precious until I had lost or destroyed it.

I stared at myself in the mirror, for the first time hating the Rosalie that stared back.

I couldn't stand the sight of myself. I pressed my hand against the mirror that Emmett had given me for our first wedding gift and watched it shatter. As the sound of shattering glass fell away, a strange, grating sound filled the room. It was a few moments before I realized that it was me; it was the sound of my tearing sobs, unsoftened by tears. I sank upon the floor among the shards of everything I had destroyed and sobbed: for myself, for the slug, for the mirror, and for Edward.


End file.
